A tremendously decorated swimmer, Ellen Stonebraker’s resume shines with honors earned at the high school, collegiate, national and world levels. Perched quietly in the middle of her many medals is an uncommon recognition: People Magazine’s 2000 list of “Most Beautiful Athletes: Olympic Beauties.” Beautiful in the water and out, Stonebraker’s unwavering pursuit of personal excellence, coupled with her fierce loyalty to her teams, schools and loved ones, makes her a truly beautiful example for athletes of any era.Stonebraker had a storied swimming career as a Redhawk. She was a two-time individual State Champion in the 200-yard freestyle in 1993 and 1994 and a member of the 1994 State Champion 400 Freestyle Relay. While a fierce individual competitor, Stonebraker found even greater satisfaction in team achievements, pointing to her team’s 1994 3rd place State trophy and 1995 2nd place State trophy as highlights of her high school career. Stonebraker shared, “I think my favorite memory was being a part of a State Champion relay and a 2nd place team overall […] being able to share that accomplishment with the whole team and to realize the culmination of so much hard work was really special.” Stonebraker’s positive attitude and natural leadership led her to be named co-captain in her senior year. Her athletic work ethic was rivaled by her intense investment in her studies; named a Chicago Tribune Scholar Athlete and a National Honor Society member, Stonebraker graduated in the top 5% of her class, leaving a distinctive, inimitable imprint on her alma mater.Stonebraker left Redhawk waters and dove into the Badgers’ pool as a student-athlete at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. According to the official website of the University of Wisconsin Athletic Department, Stonebraker is the most decorated swimmer in the history of the Wisconsin women’s program. A 12-time All-American (the highest total in school history), she also earned seven honorable mention All-American awards. She was a 10-time Big Ten Conference Champion, 4-time All-Big Ten First Team Selection, and a 3-time Academic All-Big Ten Honoree. The 2001 Big Ten Swimmer of the Year went undefeated in the 500-yard freestyle, winning four consecutive Big Ten championships in the event. She remains the Badgers’ school record-holder in both the 200-yard freestyle and 200-meter freestyle. In 1999 and 2000, Stonebraker was named to the USA Swimming National Team. As a representative of her country, she won three medals at the 1999 Pan-Pacific Championships in Sydney, Australia, including a gold medal as a member of the U.S. 4x200 free relay team, which set the American record for the event. In 2000, Stonebraker was an Olympic trials finalist, and in 2001 she graduated with a degree in Business Administration. She was honored by the University of Wisconsin-Madison as a 2010 Hall of Fame Inductee for her contributions to both the school and her swimming program.Currently, Stonebraker lives in Wisconsin with her husband, Brain Weber, and works at the corporate headquarters for Kohl’s Department Stores, supporting communication and the implementation of new initiatives in all stores nationwide. She looks back at her time at Naperville Central with fondness and pride, advising current students, “Be curious and don’t settle. Ask a lot of questions and try new things to find what you’re truly passionate about. Then go for it! You have to take some risks in life to be truly happy.” The risks she took both in and out of the water throughout her life led Stonebraker to craft a beautiful story – one that continues to inspire those who witness it today.